Synopsis
A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.
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Cast
- Denzel WashingtonEli
- Gary OldmanCarnegie
- Mila KunisSolara
- Ray StevensonRedridge
- Jennifer BealsClaudia
- Michael GambonGeorge
- Tom WaitsEngineer
- Frances de la TourMartha
- Evan JonesMartz
- Joe PingueHoyt
Recommendations
- 75
Chicago Sun-Times
The film looks and feels good, and Washington's performance is the more uncanny the more we think back over it. The ending is "flawed," as we critics like to say, but it's so magnificently, shamelessly, implausibly flawed that (a) it breaks apart from the movie and has a life of its own, or (b) at least it avoids being predictable. - 70
Arizona Republic
Its over-the-top violence is cartoonish at times, menacing at others - which is a good thing. And truly, if one must wander a barren, post-apocalyptic landscape with somebody, who better to wander with than Denzel Washington? - 63
ReelViews
The problem with The Book of Eli is that the narrative isn't a match for its sentiments. The script feels like it's an iteration or two short of a final draft. - 60
The Hollywood Reporter
The Hughes Brothers' measured, well-paced direction complements the comic-book simplicity of this narrative. - 50
Variety
Some mordant comic touches would have been welcome throughout the picture, which has a somber tone that suffers a bit from lack of modulation and nuance. - 50
Village Voice
The Book of Eli's plastic parable isn't much more advanced than "Insane Clown Posse" theology. - 50
Orlando Sentinel
Whatever its virtues, Eli is a movie that can’t help but suffer in comparison to the much-delayed and much better "Road." - 40
Time Out
For a few brief moments, the film becomes something close to Greek mythology, as opposed to graphic-novel imitator. What a feeling!
